With Kurbaan success, once again Karan Johar has proved that, he is the movie maker with golden hand.  This year he received two super hits Wake Up Sid and Kurbaan. Last year also he has bagged the block buster hit Dostana.

This things raising hopes in Shahrukh Khan fans. Because Shahrukh Khan and Karan Johar are working together for the movie  My Name Is Khan. In recent past there is no movie form Shahrukh Khan which can has the caliber to set new records at Box Office.

Now all the hopes are on My Name Is Khan only. Karan Johar has spent huge amount on this movie. Kajol is playing the female lead after long gap.

Shahrukh Khan and Farah Khan were acted together for the movies Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om. Both the movies bagged huge hits and broken the Box Office records. Many days back only they have announced their next flick.

But till date it hasn’t hit the sets. Shahrukh Khan has postponed Farah Khan’s movie and committed for other movies. now Farah Khan is planning her next movie with Akshay Kumar. According to the news from the Bollywood circles, Tees Maar Khan is the title for Farah and Akki’s movie.

Already Aditya Chopra has replaced SRK with Ranbir Kapoor now Farah. At least now SRK has to wake up.

I remember when he used to sing qawwalis along with his uncle Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. I would find his screechy voice in the background quite funny. After Nusrat Fateh Ali’s demise in August 1997, he continued his journey and emerged as a solo singer. In the beginning his voice failed to appeal me. The first time I noticed him was when I listened to Man Ki Lagan in 2003 end. I had bought the otherwise pretty average album of the movie Paap just for that song. The song was soothing and sensual. I think it was penned by Amjad Islam Amjad. So basically Bhatts (Pooja and Mahesh) had introduced him into the mainstream Hindi movie playback singing.

Then there was a long hiatus. In 2005 he sang, Jiya Dhadak Dhadak for Kalyug.He has sung too many wonderful and super hit songs for various movies. But amazingly, I never liked his solo album Charkha which was a big hit too. Below is the list of some of his most popular songs that are my absolute favorite too.

1) Teri Yaad Saath (Namaste London)

2) Bol Na Halke Halke (Jhoom Baraber Jhoom)

3) Naina Thag Laingey (Omkara)

4) Jag Soona Soona Laage (Om Shanti Om)

5) O Re Piya (Aaja Nachle)

6) Teri Ore (Singh Is King)

7) Aj Din Chadeyaa (Love Aaj Kal)

Kajol who is lucky partner of Shahrukh Khan has paired once again opposite him for the movie My Name Is Khan. My Name Is Khan is ready to hit the screens by February 2010. Karan Johar is confident about this movie, he is thinking that, this movie will break all the records in Bollywood.

Kajol has spoken recently about this movie. She said that, like the previous movies Like DDLJ, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai which featured SRK and Kajol, this movie also becomes a Block Buster hit. She refused to speak much about her character, but has shown lot of excitement while speaking about this movie.

Thanks to my adventures in ecological living, I have been invited on an adventure .. to India. It seems an ecological acquaintance, one I met at the Eco Bar, a gathering arranged by the Sustainable Leadership Laboratory, is looking for an artist who can speak about “real” things to the rising generation in India. I’ve been invited to visit India in January and meet with different people, Bollywood Producers, music promoters and journalists, and ever more importantly I would like to get to know what’s on people’s minds in India and what their culture is like. I know a fair bit about their spirituality but not how much a part of life it is. And then some new songwriting will be in order.

Well my friend Emma, who I’ve convinced to go on the potential trip with me, and I decided to do some research so we went straight to the source .. Bollywood. Our first choice was “Om Shantih Om”. It was joyous, it was heavy, it was deluxe, and it was long. We learned that “Oh Fish” is how to say “Damnit” and to “Mind It” which meant check me out, I’m awesome, and to look out for all the “babes” and “dudes”. Emma and I have adopted a new language around it. The lead character was named “Om” and the other “Shanti” which I know is the sound of God and peace, and the main character was reincarnated in the middle of the movie to live out his dreams in the next life .. I can’t remember an American movie that tackled this subject like it was an everyday thing. (and who’s to say it’s not)

I’m going to have to work on my dancing a bit and learn to sing with all the wiggling they do on the notes, but I think I could pull it off.

Shahrukh Khan was incredible at going from silly and humble in his first life to cocky and rude in his second, and Deepika Padukone was the most beautiful woman in the film by a longshot .. wow she is a hot babe, dude. No fish there.

So I’m feeling adventurous about India .. why not go? I’ve always been keen on adventure.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024943/

p.s. The mantra of the movie is if you want something with all your heart, the Universe pulls together all it’s powers to give it to you.

Am I in touch with all my heart? Are you?

Shahrukh Khan is one of the greatest actors in today’s Indian Film Industry as well as a film producer and television host. He was born in New Delhi on November 2^nd 1965. His father Taj Mohammed Khan was an Indian Independence Activist. Their family migrated from Peshawar, British India before the partition of India. Shahrukh Khan began his acting career through several television series aired in Doordarshan Channel in late 1980’s like Fauji, Circus and so on. His first film debut was Deewana which was one of the biggest box office hit of that year and he achieved the Filmfare Best newcomer Award. After that he never had to turn back, today he has achieved 13 Filmfare Awards for his performance. His most successful films are, Bazzigar, Darr, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Chak De India, Don,Om Shanti Om, Veer-Zaara, Devdas, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and so on.

He is the founder or owner of film production companies like Dreamz Unlimited and Red Chillies Entertainment. Newsweek has named him one of the 50 most powerful people in the world.

I have been planning to review this film for about two years, but have only finally gotten around to it. This was the very first Bollywood film I ever saw. I’m not sure why – but one Monday night I got out of work early and found out that a local cinema was showing a Bollywood film called Om Shanti Om. I didn’t know too much about it, but at 2 hrs 50 mins (plus interval), it seemed like I’d get my money’s worth.

Never having seen a Bollywood, I knew roughly that I could expect it to be long and have lots of musical numbers in the middle of it. I’d also heard they were somewhat over the top.

Actually, the correct phrase is: It’s utter cheese from beginning to end.

However, I’m not adverse to cheese on occasions, and let me tell you – this is some of the most sincere, enthusiastic cheese I’ve seen in ages.

When the Americans make a big-budget film with lots of craziness and a paper-thin plot, everyone’s a bit embarrassed and self-conscious that they’re making a dumb movie. (Just watch all the big-name actors when they had to do a special effects blockbuster.)

But not so the Indians. The main lead, Shah Ruhk Khan (the Brad Pitt of Bollywood) chews up the screen in a performance that is so badly over-acted that you can’t help but getting sucked into it.

Meanwhile, his female lead, Deepika Padukone, was actually making her first film, but you wouldn’t really have been able to tell.

The story – such as I can tell you without spoiling the wondrous cheesiness of it all – starts in the 70s, when Om (Shah Rukh Khan), a poverty-stricken “junior artiste” – we’d call him an extra – is working on crowd scenes for big Bollywood films and dreams of becoming a big star, so that he can romance the girl of his dreams – Shantipriya, the actress (played by Padukone).

For the first hour of this film, assuming you hadn’t read the back of the box, any description online or almost any other print media that is put out around this film that shamefacedly gives away everything, you might just be surprised by a twist that occurs that takes the film in very different directions.

By the end of three hours, you’ve had absolutely everything – romance, songs, dancing, action scenes, death, comedy, and fighting with huge stuffed animals and cameos by nearly all the major actors/actresses working in Bollywood today.

And let me tell you – it works – almost. Like a huge over-the-top Broadway musical, it just keeps delivering crowd-pleasing melodrama and comedy all the way through. The cinematography especially is stunning and the colour scheme is beautiful. The only fatal flaw in all of this is that the romance, which was so beautifully built up in the first hour never really pays off in the end. In fact, it’s almost forgotten. This might not be a problem for an Indian audience, but considering that it’s the engine that drives the rest of the film, it’s almost unforgivable for Western audiences. Especially since, with a couple of extra scenes, you could have delivered the payoff that we want.

Oh well – if I were a Broadway producer with a few million under my belt, I think this could be turned into a really good stage production.

If you were going to try Bollywood, this would be the film to try. Leave all your expectations at the door, and expect it to be over-the-top, and you just might find it an enjoyable evening out.

As a little sneak peak, let me show you the scene that (I think) sells the whole thing. Early on in the film, young Om is madly in love with Shantipriya the actress – who of course doesn’t know he exists. His good friend manages to get him tickets to the premiere of her latest film and the two of them show up in outrageously bad clothes to stand beside the red carpet.

For luck, Om’s long-suffering mother gave him a piece of string or a bracelet (it’s been a while so I’ve forgotten) which she wrapped around his string for good luck. At the red carpet, in a scene which is done entirely without dialogue (except for a particularly evocative song called “Ajab Si”), that little red piece of string turns out to be the thing that gives him his first encouter with Shanti…

It’s so unutterably mushy – even a Hollywood romantic comedy wouldn’t include a scene like this – that it works. Either that or you’ll think my movie standards have dropped to an all-time low – in which case, don’t watch this film.

4 1/2 out of 5.

Deepika Padukone came to lime light because of Vijay Mallya only. She has appeared in his bikini calender years back which helped to her career very much. She caught many designers and Bollywood movie makers eye with that stills.
When Vijay Mallya own the IPL team Bangalore Royal Challengers, every one expected that, she will be with him to encourage his team. But that chance went to Katrina Kaif.

But Vijay Mallya has opted Deepika as cheer leader for Force India F1 team. Mallya has partner ship in this team. Recently has appeared at Abu Dhabhi grand prix to cheer the team.

Preity Zinta was brand ambassador for many years for BSNL. Recently they replaced her with Om Shanti Om girl Deepika Padukone. Already advertisements are aired.

But she not so not looking good in that stills and ads. Compared with Preity, Deepika has shown no impact in this ads. With the item number in Salman Khan’s Main Aur Mrs Khanna and new offer opposite Aamir Khan, Preity is gaining her past craze once again. She will also going shine on small screen with Yash Raj Films project. If every thing goes well, Once again Preity shines in Bollywood.

Lets wait to see her in BSNL ad again.

2009 gave two huge hits for both Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. Deepika Padukone has acted in the super hit movie Love Aaj Kal. She has paired opposite Saif Ali Khan. She received critical praise for her performance.

On the other hand Ranbir Kapoor has bagged his first hit with Wake up Sid. It was the movie targeted on youth. This movie increased Ranbir Kapoor’s business range. This year no more releases are there for Deepika Padukone.

But Ranbir has two more release this year. First one is Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani and second one is Yash Raj Films movie Rocket Singh – Salesman Of The Year.

Reviewed by Alicia Glass

Studio: Red Chillies Entertainment

MPAA Rating: N/A

Director: Farh Khan

Review Rating: 8

 A Junior Artiste actor in 1970’s Bollywood witnesses the love of his life’s murder, and is reincarnated 30 years later to avenge her.

 This is the first full-length Bollywood movie I’ve ever seen, so forgive me any inaccuracies. First off, be warned – this movie is almost three hours long. There was supposed to be an actual intermission during the showing, that didn’t happen but that’s alright. There were a few previews for other Bollywood movies before the film, but none of them were subtitled so it was kind of hard to understand. The film itself is, as it was explained to me, a true Bollywood film – lots of singing and dancing. So if that’s not your thing, you may want to reconsider.

 So, we start off with 1970’s Bollywood, where Om Prakash is an aspiring actor who is totally in love with the starlet Shanti. Om is running around trying to attain stardom and meet Shanti in the process, and he finally gets his chance during an accident on set, where he saves Shanti from a fire that was consuming the set. Om does his level best to woo Shanti, whereas she generally thinks of him as a friend she can talk to. So when Om tells Shanti to go for what she wants, I don’t think it occurred to him that she would go to Producer Mukesh and demand that he make their marriage public because she’s pregnant with his child. Om manages to accidentally witness Mukesh attempting to murder Shanti by setting a fire in a studio and locking her in. Om tries very hard to save her, but is himself killed in the process. It’s all very tragic, and the death of both of them is about where the intermission should be.

 Om is reincarnated (take that however you will, the movie makes it seem entirely plausible) as huge movie star Om Kapoor, called OK. He has a serious fear of fire, and noone is quite sure why. Things continue on their merry way for a little while, and suddenly OK begins receiving visions and the original Om seems to rise to the surface and begins planning for vengeance on Mukesh. The plan is convince Mukesh to come back to Bollywood to make the movie he originally had Shanti starring in when she died, Om Shanti Om, and during the course of that scare the daylights out of him with a look-alike Shanti, into confessing to the whole thing. The end parts where Shanti’s true ghost, not the actress attempting to play her, returns and has her own vengeance on Mukesh, are actually really good and almost scary. After all, Shanti is truly beautiful and truly pissed at Mukesh for killing her; I wouldn’t want an avenging Hindu Goddess after me.

Check out the trailer!

No place is more comfortable or more eerie than a dark movie theater just as the previews are about to begin. Chances are you have sat in a theater waiting to enjoy a movie before but once the lights go off you are transported to a different reality all while being surrounded by complete strangers. Perhaps I am being neurotic but the thought of experiencing any sort of emotion—and you experience countless emotions during movies—in the presence of strangers is utterly frightening. The room might be dark but someone is always watching.

Clearly I have read too much film theory if, rather than seeking pure enjoyment from the cinema, these are the thoughts that wander through my mind during a screening. Needless to say, it is hard for me to leave my neurotic theories on spectatorship at the door and just watch a movie.

While most people enjoy company while at the movies, I prefer going by myself and completely isolating myself from the main audience. Rather than be in the center row and in close proximity to anyone else in the theater, I prefer the very back, right corner. Believe me—no one wants to sit there. Of course, this makes watching any film especially difficult and makes me seem pretty ridiculous, but it is a practice I have perfected.

My somewhat—okay very—bizarre screening tendencies were challenged this summer when I attended the Cannes Film Festival, where placing one very neurotic filmgoer in a 2000 seat theater could lead to serious ramifications. All of the sudden I had to sit next to strangers who applauded for everything: the film festival logo, the opening credits, the lead actress’ name, the closing credits, the music played during the closing credits. (Unless it was a French film critic; I’m convinced that they don’t know how to express emotion during a movie.) I learned to embrace the novelty of the situation – how many times would I be surrounded by people who applauded a single frame of L’Avventura? Still it is amazing that I didn’t suffer endless panic attacks while at Cannes.

Knowing this, the last movie anyone should expect me to willingly attend is a Bollywood film. There is no other national cinema depends more on audience interaction than Bollywood. So attending a screening Om Shanti Om at Amherst Cinema on Sunday, I was faced with my worst nightmare—audience participation. The girl sitting next to me clearly loved Om Shanti Om; she sang along with every single song and yelped with glee whenever Shahrukh Khan appeared on screen. Considering that Khan is singing in practically every scene, this happened frequently.

The sight of one girl raising her arms in complete exuberance by the mere presence of Ambitabh Bachan probably strikes a western audience as odd (we certainly don’t greet cameo appearances by Dustin Hoffman that way). Yet that is what makes Bollywood cinema absolutely fabulous. These films are meant to elicit a certain response from the audience, one that depends on elaborate stylistic norms, song and dance sequences and star personas to create pure joy and excitement. Because, I suspect, many people attending the screening of Om Shanti Om had never been to a Bollywood film or at least to a public screening of the film, this was lost to them.

Om Shanti Om was hardly my first Bollywood experience. I’ve just quite conscientiously avoided the whole attending a public screening aspect until now. Yet what will keep me, an incredibly cynical and neurotic filmgoer, coming back for more is knowing that films such as Om Shanti Om are meant to be enjoyed. If anything, Bollywood cinema has reminded me something I forgot once I became so academically engrossed with film—how to have fun while watching a movie.

Oh who am I kidding. I’ll always be that neurotic girl in the back of the movie theater.

Published: Mount Holyoke News
October 22, 2009

Deepika Padukone who lost her Maybelline endorsement to Diana Penty lost one more endorsement also. This time famous Parachute ad, which made her popular before Om Shanti Om only.

Anushka Sharma who made her debut with Shah Rukh Khan’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is the new face for Parachute promos. Deepika Padukone was model to this hair oil for two years. After Love Aaj Kal success she has increased her remuneration, that is the reason for Parachute replacing her with Anushka.

Anushka Sharma has already completed her shooting for new promos. Present she is in USA for her up coming movie shooting. After returning back to India, she starts working for Parachute promotion events.

Just a quick review ~

Om Shanti Om (India, 2007)

Not one of the best of the Bollywood genre, but a good one. Bollywood movies are colorful and bursting with song and dance. The second half of this movie was better than the first, but one of the traits of a Bollywood movie is that it is often long – close to three hours – but it never feels that way.

Om Shanti Om has a theme running through it that really intrigued me. They say that if you really want something, with your whole heart, the Universe will conspire to make it happen. And conspire It does! Using every avenue at Its call. I love that idea and like to think it’s true.

The other piece that engaged me was that having the right nurturing soil surely does help you realize your dreams. Our hero, in the right situation, is able to achieve all he wished for.

Along the way there is, of course, lavish sets, a huge cast, and lots of romance and flash.

Deepika Padukone, bollywood’s sensational actress believes that she does not need art-house cinema to prove her credebility as an actress. Deepika Padukone’s contemporaries Katrina Kaif seems keen to silence her critics with filmmaker Prakash Jha’s political drama ‘Rajneeti’.

deepika and srk

Priyanka Chopra too has came out with her glamorous image with her excellent performance in film like Kaminey.

The model-turned-actress who started her career with Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan starrer Om Shanti Om, says, “Indian cinema is going through a dynamic change which is blurring the line between the commercial and art house.”

Shah Rukh Khan is busy with Karan Johar’s  My Name Is Khan. My Name Is Khan shooting almost came to end. Farah Khan who has delivered two block busters like Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om with Shah Rukh Khan, is ready with Happy New Year’s script. Few days back Shahrukh said that, he will start working for this movie as soon as possible.

But now he has changed his decision, and postponed Happy New Year. But he decided to work first for Anubhav Sinha’s Ra-1. According to the sources RA-1 is a action movie with Super Hero back drop. Shah Rukh Khan has started working for six pack body also for this role. He will start working for Happy New Year in the end of 2010